The Oyster Fest 2002 is upping the ante for this year's food festival. It will be held on Saturday Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20 in the hamlet of Oyster Bay. This year, it all starts with a new event, the Waterfront Gala/Sponsor's Reception to be held on Friday Oct. 18 with fireworks and great food under a big white tent.

They are "super sizing" the car raffle by adding a boat to the mix. It is an 18 ft. Angler, a fishing boat with a trailer. "It adds a nautical theme to the fun," said Rob Crafa, executive director of the WaterFront Center and the person in charge of what will happen at the water-side of the festival. The event co-chairs are Oyster Bay Attorney James Cammarata and Judy Wasilchuk, a member of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education and a realtor with Cove Point Realty.

Add to the menu, a professional promoter, Tim Wright, who has been put in charge of hiring musical talent. Over the weekend several name Long Island bands will be performing including Big Shot, a Billy Joel tribute band.

What is most exciting is that there will be three main stages: one at the Food Court; the main stage at the waterfront and a third stage by the amusements. "It will feature local talent. A band from the Boys & Girls Club will be playing. I think it's the coolest thing. It's a great place to showcase local talent," said Mr. Crafa.

The ante is also going up for several of the nonprofit groups, about six of whom will be selling food this year at two locations. That is because the festival will have two main areas: the Food Court in the center of the hamlet and the area at the western waterfront.

Mr. Crafa said they are still fine tuning the list of boats that will be there. They offer a great chance to learn marine history.

Keeping history in mind, our Colonial roots will be demonstrated as the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel comes to port. It will be open for free dockside tours during the festival. She is a re-creation of the first colonial Swedish settlement ship to arrive in America at what is now Wilmington, Delaware.

A "Movie Queen" will also be docked at the Jakobson Pier. Built in 1960 in Lunenburg, Novia Scotia, for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty by MGM Studios, the Bounty was later purchased by Turner Broadcasting System in 1986. It is currently owned by the Long Island based HMS Bounty Organization, LLC.

They will be joined by the coastal schooner Phoenix, from Glen Cove. It is a replica of the type of vessel that plied the Long Island Sound waters at the turn of the century. The Phoenix is the training ship for the LI US Naval Sea Cadets.

Len Rothberg of the Event Marketing Group as the Oyster Fest 2002 promoter has added new sponsors to the festival supporters. "Sponsorships are still available, just call me at 935-4944," he said. It is his job to secure sponsors for the festival for support services such as tents, buses, garbage collection and such: the little things that make the big things happen. It is a great way for them to advertise to the crowd of people coming to enjoy the festivities.

"Things are going very well. A lot of sponsors are coming back and there are new sponsors coming on board," he said. "The Islanders are back; the North Shore University Hospital at Syosset is back as is State Bank of Long Island. They are joined by a new sponsor, North Fork Bank."

Drew Crowley, North Fork Bank senior vice president said, "North Fork is a $20 billion bank with over 170 locations throughout Long Island, New York City and the boroughs. Even though we are a large bank, we are very committed to the communities we serve and with that, we are very proud to contribute and support one of the communities which we serve."

As Mr. Rothberg put it, "They are happy to be a part of the Oyster Festival." He said, "This year there is an official Oyster Festival car: Lincoln. They are raffling a leased car. Another sponsor is KeySpan Energy: they are sponsoring the kickoff reception."

Mr. Rothberg said he was happy to announce another new sponsor: "Best Buy: the big electronic outfit with locations all over Long Island. AT&T Wireless is also a new sponsor as is Chester Mountain Water."

Another sponsor (returning after several years) sponsor is Vytra Health Plan. They have continually sponsored the Supervisor's 4 K Run that opens the festival on Saturday morning Oct. 19. Also returning as sponsors are Fleet Bank; LIPA; Unique Gutter Helmet; VoiceStream; NYS Lottery and Marshall Chiropractic.

"We take off our hats to Fritz Coudert of the WaterFront Center, he is also a big sponsor and deserves kudos," said Mr. Rothberg. "He and Rob Crafa are right up there! The WaterFront Center will be sponsoring all waterfront activities including the tall ships. The HMS Bounty will have a haunted ship that people can visit for a small fee. We are also having the Phoenix and the Merchant Marine Academy boat the Growler coming back. They will offer free dockside tours. The Growler isn't confirmed as of now," he added.

He said, "Thanks also go to the NY Islanders who are sponsoring the food promenade; to North Fork Bank, that is sponsoring all the children's rides and amusement area; and to State Bank of LI and NSUH at Syosset for sponsoring the buses."

There will also be an expanded arts and crafts area. There will be 145 vendors, up from last year's figure of about 120 booths.

The entrance to the festival area will make the downtown hamlet area look very inviting. "We are going to decorate Audrey Ave. in a fall theme, with pumpkins and cornstalks, as a pedestrian entranceway to the festival. It will be set up before the festival and will remain decorated for the community afterwards," said Mr. Crafa.

All in all, this year's festival will have more to offer than ever before. That means more stories to tell in next week's issue.